Arafat misleads the world about his relationship to terror
organizations.
Arafat´s message in English to Bush: Terror organizations outlawed.
Arafat´s message to Palestinians: The PA and the terror organizations
are
united.

The Palestinian Authority continues to mock the United States and
Israel,
sending well publicized promises to President Bush and Prime Minister
Sharon
that it is outlawing terrorist organizations, while sending strong
messages
of solidarity with the terrorists to the Palestinians. In public
displays of
adherence to American pressure, the Palestinian Authority declared
Hamas,
Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
illegal
organizations. Television crews were even invited to film the closing
of the
organizations´ offices.

However, yesterday the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
held a
ceremony in honor of its 34th anniversary. Not only did the PA permit
the
celebration of the "outlawed" organization, but Yasser Arafat sent his
Cabinet Secretary to deliver a speech in his name, praising the
terrorist
organization and lauding the unity of "all [Palestinian] factions". A
representative of Hamas also attended.

Furthermore, to guarantee that the message of unity reach a wider
audience,
today´s official Palestinian Authority daily published a lengthy
front-page
article covering the ceremony in great detail. The article included a
photo
of PA Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman speaking at the event,
during
which Arafat´s delegate expressed disdain for the US and Israel, and
claimed
that the "[international arena... is being handled] with wisdom and
caution,
in order to foil the conspiracy of Sharon and his American allies."

The text of the article:

Headline: "The PFLP anniversary rally was a display of national unity.
[Cabinet Secretary] Abed Al-Rahman delivered the President´s address,
and
emphasized the fortitude and indivisibility of our nation, and its
strength
in facing the occupation."

"A ceremony marking the 34th anniversary of the establishment of the
Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine turned into a celebration of
national
unity. During the ceremony, in which the Palestinian Authority and
political
groups (national and Islamic), as well as public works organizations,
stressed their adherence to national unity and to the supreme
interest of
our people.[in attendance were] Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman - who attended as
President Yasser Arafat´s representative - political and public
figures, in
addition to the leadership, top echelons and members of the Popular
Front.

"Arafat´s representative, Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Abed Al-Rahman
reiterated
the statements made in Arafat´s speech regarding the Palestinian
Authority´
s concern for the security, welfare and continuity of all the
factions, and
said that he views all the aggression against them as aggression
against the
Palestinian Authority.

"The Cabinet Secretary discussed the circumstances and changes in the
international arena, and their influence on the Palestinian question
and on
the national struggle. He said that in spite of the hard line that
has been
adopted, [the international arena is being handled] with wisdom and
caution,
in order to foil the conspiracy of Sharon and his American allies."
(PMW.ORG.IL 12/23/01)
[PA official daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 23, 2001]